Cell phones

I'm going to be moving to London next summer (seems like a million years away) and I want to get a cell phone to make things more convenient for me, particularly since I'll be doing a flatshare and don't wanna have to deal with roommate/phone issues.  Besides, I'm very accustomed to having one. 

Can anyone suggest some companies to look into?  I know there's Virgin Mobile but what others are there?  I've read that I can order one online and change the chip for US use, then change the chip back when I get to London.  Anybody tried these?  If so, what can I expect?

Thanks!

the ones you can use in the US and UK are tri-band GSM phones. Martin has one that T-Mobile said he could use in the US when we move, simply by getting a chip for T-Mobile USA. Most GSM phones have little power converters inside them so all you need is a plug adapter for whatever country youre in.

T-Mobile also exists in the UK (I think they may have originated here). Theres also Orange (my provider), Vodafone, Virgin (as mentioned), O2 (British Telecom's Mobile Solution), G3 (I think thats what theyre called - theyre for video phones), and perhaps several others.

When you get to London, you'll need to re-train yourself to start calling them 'mobiles' instead of 'cell phones'.   

When you get to London, you'll need to re-train yourself to start calling them 'mobiles' instead of 'cell phones'.   

2 years later and I still slip back between "my cell -- my mobile - my cell"

THE PHONE

I use 02, with a Pay As You Go program, meaning there's no fixed monthly charge...you just pay for usage. It's been quite good.

When I first arrived, I used a pay as you go but it's not good for people like me who have terrible memory. I was always forgetting to buy more credit. 

For the past 3+ years, both me and my DH have gotten our phones through http://www.e2save.com and have been very satisfied with their service.  I don't like going into the mobile shops on the high street as they're so, I dunno, pushy. 

I've always used t-mobile and it is handy that they are here in the UK and US. You can actually get some really good deals with contracts in the UK these days (plus with the link above we've always gotten the latest handsets free). I hardly use my phone to call and send mostly texts so I have the lowest plan available. Much easier, for me, than pay as you go.